ANTIHYPERGLYCEMIC AND ANALGESIC ACTIVITY STUDIES WITH CLERODENDRUM VISCOSUM VENT. (VERBENACEAE) LEAVES

Background. Clerodendrum viscosum is found in the wild and fallow lands of Bangladesh and is known for its multiple medicinal uses including use for alleviation of diabetic high sugar and pain. It was of interest to determine the antihyperglycemic and analgesic properties of the leaves of the plant. Methods. Antihyperglycemic activity was determined through oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT). Analgesic activity was determined by observed decreases in abdominal constrictions (writhings) in intraperitoneally administered acetic acidinduced pain model in mice. Results. Administration of methanol extract of leaves led to significant dose-dependent reductions in blood glucose levels in glucose-loaded mice at doses of 200 and 400 mg per kg body weight. At these two doses, the extract reduced blood glucose levels by 25.2 and 33.3%, respectively compared to control animals. By comparison, a standard antihyperglycemic drug, glibenclamide, when administered at a dose of 10 mg per kg body weight, reduced blood glucose level by 33.3%. In analgesic activity tests, the extract at doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg per kg body weight significantly reduced the number of abdominal constrictions by 29.6, 37.0, and 59.3%, respectively. A standard pain relieving (analgesic) drug, aspirin, reduced the number of writhings by 33.3 and 51.9%, respectively, when administered at doses of 200 and 400 mg per kg body weight. Conclusion. The leaves can be beneficial in lowering blood glucose and for alleviating pain.